The new refrigerant standard set by the federal government is one of the hottest topics in the HVAC industry today. Homeowners might wonder how these refrigerant changes may affect their HVAC systems and households. Below, we go into detail about these changes and how they could affect your home.
The Worry About Environmental Impacts
The HVAC industry has been a topic of discussion for many years due to its use of different refrigerants in air conditioning and heat pump systems. Refrigerants are substances found inside both cooling and heat pump systems responsible for absorbing heat and transporting it from one location to the next.
During the summer months, your air conditioning system will use refrigerant to absorb heat from the inside of your home and move it to the outdoors. Unfortunately, some refrigerants that have been used in the past have created environmental problems, like contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and climate change. Because of these environmental concerns, global regulation has been enacted to help reduce and minimize the use of refrigerants that could potentially damage the environment.
What’s Being Phased-Out?
R-410A refrigerant is one of the refrigerants that is being phased out. It is being replaced with a newer type of refrigerant. R-410A is a type of refrigerant that falls into the HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) category. This entire category is what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is outlawing. This is somewhat similar to outlawing other refrigerant types like CFC (chlorofluorocarbon), which was R-12, and HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon), which was R-22, in the past. All these refrigerants are known to contribute to ozone depletion and global warming.
What’s the Replacement?
These older refrigerants are being replaced with a new generation known as low-GWP (global warming potential) alternatives. These newer refrigerants are categorized into the broad AL2 spectrum named for their ASHRAE safety classification. The chemical makeup of these are HFOs, which are hydrofluoroolefins, and HFO blends. Some of the most popular refrigerants in this particular AL2 category include R-32, R-454B, and R-466A.
What Are the New Standards?
As of January 1, 2025, new HVAC systems must use one of the newer AL2 refrigerants. No systems using the older HFC refrigerant may be produced or installed in the country. Only systems using HFC refrigerants that were purchased before January 2025 can be installed up to January 1, 2026. After this date, no more systems may be installed that use one of these older HFC refrigerants.
Servicing Older Systems
There’s no doubt that many homeowners will still have HVAC systems that rely on one of the old HFC refrigerants. It’s just not feasible for every homeowner to go out and buy a brand-new system at the beginning of 2025. For this reason, the production of refrigerants like R-410A will still be allowed for the next 10 years. They will still be able to get their HVAC systems serviced and recharged as needed.
However, the amount of refrigerant that is allowed to be produced will be restricted over time, leading to smaller and smaller supplies of this outdated refrigerant. This means that homeowners who still rely on a system that uses one of these older refrigerants will be able to have their system properly serviced and the refrigerant recharged, but the costs will likely increase, and often significantly, as the supplies diminish, especially as demand surpasses supply.
Can You Still Run Your System?
Probably one of the biggest questions homeowners have about this refrigerant change is whether or not their HVAC system can still be used as normal. As long as your HVAC system was installed in your home before January 1, 2025, it’s completely legal to continue to run your HVAC system until you choose to replace it. Our HVAC technicians can still service your system like normal.
Rising System Costs
Because all newer air conditioning systems and heat pumps had to be redesigned to accommodate newer refrigerants, their prices are increasing. Those higher costs will be passed on to you as the consumer, and that’s something you will need to keep in mind when it is time to budget and prepare to upgrade your outdated HVAC system. Keep in mind, however, that newer systems tend to be more energy-efficient than older systems, and the higher upfront costs may be offset over time by lower operating costs, making them a more budget-friendly choice in the long run.
Should You Upgrade?
Another common question that a lot of homeowners ask is whether or not they should upgrade to one of the newer systems that use an AL2 refrigerant. The answer is that it’s completely up to you. There is no law stating that you must upgrade your outdated HVAC system if it uses one of the older HFC refrigerants.
However, systems that use these newer refrigerants are better for the environment and operate more efficiently than older systems. The newer refrigerants tend to be more effective when it comes to transferring heat compared to older HFC refrigerants, which translates to lower energy bills all cooling season long.
On average, a heat pump will last you around 10 to 15 years while central air conditioning systems can last around 15 to 20. If your existing heat pump or air conditioning system is over 15 years old, it may be time to consider an upgrade. This will help ensure that your system is more efficient and comes with a brand-new warranty so that you’re not paying out of pocket for unexpected repair bills in the future.
If your existing heat pump or central air conditioning system still has warranty coverage and is operating efficiently and reliably, then you likely feel no sense of urgency when it comes to upgrading. Simply keep up with your normal routine maintenance service and regular filter changes to keep your system working well and follow our recommendations as needed.
A Note on Flammability
Some of the newer AL2 refrigerants are classified as being mildly flammable. While this is important to understand as a homeowner, the EPA regulates this higher flammability through means like improving system designs and safety features. AL2 refrigerants are considered to have low flame propagation and must come into contact with a flame to ignite.
The likelihood that your refrigerant lines and coils for your HVAC system will come into contact with a flame is minimal, but designers and manufacturers have put into place extra safety precautions to reduce the risks. For example, new systems are designed with leak-detection sensors, which will automatically shut the flow of refrigerant off to certain locations if they detect a leak. This will minimize refrigerant loss.
Helpful HVAC Replacement Service
Allegiance Heating & Cooling offers helpful heating and cooling maintenance services to the Mokena, IL area. Our knowledgeable technicians can also assist with all your HVAC maintenance, installation and repair needs. Simply give our office a call today to book your next service consultation.
